Typically, on-site power generation or energy storage tends to be designed for use only as a backup energy source in the event of the disruption of supply from a normal source of electricity such as a local electrical utility. Those methods may take the form of combustion, piston driven engines that consume fossil fuels such as natural gas, petroleum products or propane. They can be loud and produce greenhouse gases known to contribute to the effects of global warming. These generators are typically for emergency use or for the regulation of power supply to the facility to ensure a steady flow of power so that sensitive electronic devices or data are not damaged (or lost) by power fluctuations as would be the primary function of traditional uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. They require energy inputs that once consumed cannot be reclaimed for use in a regenerative cycle of electricity production.
Other distributed (on-site) power generation methods involving harvesting renewable resources such as solar energy also face the same limitation of being unable to regenerate their own energy inputs. Furthermore, renewable energy systems, when utilized alone are dependent on natural cycles such as seasonal fluctuations in potential energy available for harvesting and diurnal cycles that limit reliable daily access to energy inputs (e.g., sunlight). In general, on-site power generation is desirable because it minimizes the energy losses that occur in fossil fueled power plants and the losses in electricity transmission lines to the end user. Accordingly, power generated and utilized on-site is more energy efficient than that produced remotely.
It is desirable to have access and control over an on-site power supply that is safe, quiet, clean, sustainable, inexpensive, abundant and ultra-efficient in its ability to maximize the electricity-generating capabilities of its constituent components while minimizing energy losses. Furthermore, such a power supply system that may generate its own energy to initiate and sustain a continuous cycle of power generation is inherently valuable in financial and environmental terms. The self-sufficiency that results from such a method of power generation also increases the energy security of a particular user (or site) that requires secure and dependable access to an uninterrupted supply of power.
It is also desirable to employ a method of electricity generation that recaptures some of its own energy production so as to regenerate its own energy supply required to drive the process. There is the potential to greatly reduce the cost of one's own energy supply by utilizing such a method as described in the present invention. Eliminating dependence on the local, regional, national and global energy markets and power generation utilities also eliminates the risks associated with these infrastructural networks and commodities; the cost of fossil fuels and electricity rates will continue to rise over time, sometimes precipitously.
The semi-regulated nature of the American energy markets allows electrical utilities to pass on the capital cost of infrastructure improvements to the consumer with approval by state and local governments. A system that recaptures its own energy production also alleviates the effects of global warming in that it reduces one's carbon footprint by producing power without the need for fossil fuels and without producing greenhouse gas emissions of its own.
While many improvements in technology have advanced the energy efficiency of our society, the pervasiveness of technology in every facet of American life and a growing population of citizens and technology users has resulted in a growing dependence on electricity to sustain the American lifestyle and economy. As our nation's energy infrastructure ages and our demand for electricity grows, it is vital that we develop every means possible to generate power as efficiently and as abundantly as possible while being as self-sufficient as we are able, both collectively and individually.